‘I got so fat and put all that weight on again because I was substituting meat and veg for the vegetarian option which was pizza and chips.’

According to Scottish singer and songwriter Lewis Capaldi, going vegan caused him to pile more pounds as he binged on carb-rich foods in the absence of meat.

Speaking to Daily Star newspaper’s Wired column, the 23-year-old said: “I lost two stone at the end of 2018, and I thought, ‘Now I’m slimmed down a bit. I’ll be a vegetarian, I’ll keep the weight off and I’ll be doing good for the environment.

“But, oh my God, I got so fat and put all that weight back on as I was substituting meat and veg for the vegetarian option which was pizza and chips.”

The Scottish singer revealed that he is now exercising to shed his extra pounds.

“I go on runs,” he said.

 “I go running every morning and it’s been horrible.”

Skeptics

We, as vegans are used to people blaming the diet for their pitfalls and Capaldi’s case is a classic example.

We all know that in order to lose weight, we need a well-balanced diet that incorporates proteins, carbohydrates and fats in normal proportions along with other vital vitamins and minerals.

Processed foods

So, if someone who is reportedly vegan swaps healthy, naturally available fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, cereals and nuts for processed vegan food every day is bound to gain weight. And eating any kind of processed food will have the same effect, as this rule is not limited to only vegan food. A real no-brainer!

Processed foods earn a bad rap because they may contain high amounts of extra sugar, fat and sodium added to make their flavours more appealing and to extend their shelf life.

However, not all processed food is bad. Some foods need processing to make them safe from harmful microorganisms, while some are processed to add more nutrients by means of fortification.

While eating processed foods at times is unavoidable, nutritionists recommend reading labels before buying a product. Look out for hidden culprits lurking on the label under names such as partially hydrogenated oil (liquid fat turned solid by adding hydrogen), high-fructose corn syrup (artificial syrup made from corn), monosodium glutamate (MSG) (flavor additive), hydrolyzed vegetable protein (flavor enhancer) and aspartame (artificial sweetener).

Calories

Another important aspect to remember when trying to lose weight is that weight loss is linked to calorie intake versus calorie output. You’ll shed weight faster if you’re eating lesser calories and burning more. The calorie deficit will cause your body to generate energy by utilizing your glycogen reserves followed by burning stored fat to keep your body functioning and helping you lose weight along the way.

While restricting calories is not healthy,  you can make sure you choose healthy sources of food and engage in activities that help burn more calories 

And calories from food is obtained from either carbohydrates, protein or fat, and these macronutrients have different metabolic and thermic effects in the body (i.e. the energy spent to break down the food). So, a protein sourced calorie will utilize more energy to break down than carbohydrates or fats.

Contrary to popular opinion, vegans are not protein deficient since protein is available in multiple plant-based sources such as soy, tofu, chia, sprouted grains, quinoa, oats, broccoli, lentils and more.

So, if anyone looking to lose weight,  must eat more fruits and vegetables, ditch alcohol and other empty calories gained from sugary and junk foods, because these foods only raise body fat percentage with unhealthy levels of carbs and fats.

• Read: Liam Hemsworth blamed veganism for his kidney stone

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